Apparatus for positioning of vehicle suspension

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for selectively positioning the sliding suspension frame or bogie relative to the trailer underframe including a bogie locking assembly having a handle and linkage operated spring-loaded locking pins for registering with holes in the fixed suspension rails attached to the trailer underframe wherein the handle and the locking pins are located centrally of the longitudinal extent of the bogie and wherein the locking pins and the locking pin links form a horizontal line in the locked position affording a positive lock and wherein the locking handle engages in an opening in one of the locking pins during the locked position of the bogie to the underframe and, further, wherein the locking handle may be moved to a position more outwardly of the bogie frame and held there for maintaining the bogie in an unlocked position with respect to the trailer undeframe and, further, wherein there is provided a safety pin which locks the handle to the locking pin and provides positive assurance that the locking pin will be retained in the hole of the fixed trailer underframe rail.

United States atent Vornberger et a1.

[ Dec. 11, 1973 APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING OF VEHICLE SUSPENSIONlnventors: George F. Vornberger; Arden A.

Albaugh, both of Cincinnati, Ohio Assignee: Pullman Incorporated,Chicago, 111.

Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 Appl. No.: 216,083

11.8. CI. 280/80 18, 280/34 A, 292/35, 292/36, 292/148 lnt. Cl 862d53/06 Field of Search 280/34 R, 34 A, 80 B, 280/81 R, 405 R, 405 A, 407;292/35, 36, 148, 167

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Kenneth I-I.Betts Assistant Examiner-Leslie J. Paperner Attorney--Hilmond O. Vogelet a1.

[57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for selectively positioning the slidingsuspension frame or bogie relative to the trailer underframe including abogie locking assembly having a handle and linkage operatedspring-loaded locking pins for registering with holes in the fixedsuspension rails attached to the trailer underframe wherein the handleand the locking pins are" located centrally of the longitudinal extentof the bogie and wherein the locking pins and the locking pin links forma horizontal line in the locked position affording a positive lock andwherein the locking handle engages in an opening in one of the lockingpins during the locked position of the bogie to the underframe and,further, wherein the locking handle may be moved to a position moreoutwardly of the bogie frame and held there for maintaining the bogie inan unlocked position with respect to the trailer undeframe and, further,wherein there is provided a safety pin which locks the handle to thelocking pin and provides positive assurance that the locking pin will beretained in the hole of the fixed trailer underframe rail.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures the trailer underframe. In more particular,the inven- 1 tion relates to means for releasably locking the bogie tothe underframe and whereby it is visible from the trailer that the bogieis either locked or unlocked with respect to the underframe.

2. Description of the Prior Art For several years it has been thepractice of manufacturers of semitrailers to provide suspension subframeassemblies which can be shifted with respect to the body of the trailer.To prevent movement or shifting of the suspension subframe duringover-the-road operation, the suspension subframe is locked to a fixedrail by means of removable locking bars or non-removable locking pins.Such an arrangement is shown by US. Pat. application Ser.No. 30,739filed Apr. 22, 1970 and entitled Apparatus for Positioning TrailerSuspension Frame and having John J. Glassmeyer as the inventor, now US.Pat. No. 3,618,969 issued on Nov. 9, 1971, said patent being herebyincorporated herein by reference.

The advantage of the non-removable or internal locking pins is that theycannot be inadvertently left out of the trailer after the shiftingoperation, or stolen from the trailer.

As will be shown below, the unique arrangement embodied in thisinvention takes advantage of the nonremovable internal locking pinswhile affording a compact two pin locking mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

The locking mechanism has the following advantages:

The locking mechanism is housed completely in the center crossmemberaffording a compact design.

The locking pins and locking pin links form a horizontal line in thelocked position affording a positive lock in that it would require acompression buckling load on the locking pin links to push the lockingpins toward the center of the suspension subframe.

The fully locked position is readily known by the engagement of the lockhandle in the locking pin hole.

The arrangement of the locking handle in the locking pin affords storageof the locking handle and eliminates vertical and horizontal movement ofthe handle during over-the-road operation.

Due to the locking pins being located at the center of the suspensionsubframe, the rotational force on the suspension subframe, due tobraking, is resisted by the locking pins and the end bearing pads.

The safety pin which locks the handle to the locking pin providespositive assurance that the locking pin will be retained in the hole ofthe fixed rail of the trailer underframe under all conditions, even inthe event of a breakage of part of the locking mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages may be seen by reference to thefollowing description, appended claims and attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partiallybroken, of the bogie arrangement of the trailer;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse view illustrating the locking pins and lockinglinks in the locked position with the handle assembly for fixedlycoupling the bogie with respect to the trailer underframe and takenalong line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and also incorporating the suspension fixedrails of the trailer underframe;

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of the bogie arrangement taken alongline 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse elevational view similar to FIG. 3 but showingthe locking pin and links in the released or unlocked lock position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken generally alongline 66 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view illustrating the pinconnection of the handle to the locking pin in the latched or lockedposition of the locking pin, and taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to thedrawings and also with reference to the aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,618,969which has been incorporated herein by reference, there is shown thetrailer underframe 1 (partially .shown in FIGS. 3 and 5) supported on abogie assembly or suspension subframe 2. The trailer underframe isprovided with suspension fixed rails Ia, as also partially seen in FIGS.3 and 5, the fixed rails 1a extending longitudinally as side members.The bogie assembly 2 is provided with bogie subframe rails or sideframes 2a which are generally G-shaped and is also provided with bogiecrossmembers or hat sections 2b. Wear or bearing pads 20 are located atthe end and middle of the bogie assembly on each of the bogie subframerails or side members 2a. A further understanding of this underframe andbogie arrangement may be ascertained by reference to the aforesaidpatent.

The bogie assembly 2 is locked to the trailer underframe 1 by thebogie-carrier two-pin locking assembly or mechanism 3. The lockingassembly includes a pair of opposed outwardly extending locking pinlinks pivotally connected on the upper portion of an upstanding leverarm assembly 6 and on opposed sides of the pivot pin connection 6a ofthe lever arm assembly 6 to the transverse sides of the middle bogiecrossmemberiZb which houses the locking mechanism 3, as best seen inFIGS. 3 and 5.

The outer ends of the locking pin links 4 are connected to theirrespective locking pins 3a slidably supported on depending innerbrackets 3b extending from the top of the middle bogie crossmember 2b.

Locking pin springs 5 surround their respective locking pins 3a and areentrained between the respective depending inner brackets 3b and theouter downwardly depending side walls 2d of the bogie side rails 2a andthe outer brackets 3c depending from the roof of the middle bogiecrossmember 2b.

The lower portion of the lever arm assembly 6 is pivotally connected tothe lower inwardly extending horizontal rod portion 7a of the handleassembly 7, and the inner free end 7b of the rod connects with thelocking handle spring 8 which connects with an inwardly extendinghorizontal flange 2e of the right bogie subframe rail 2a as viewed inFIGS. 3 and 5. The outer end 7g of the handle rod 7a is U-shaped andprovided with a vertically upright portion 70 and an upper inwardlydirected horizontal end portion 7d for coupling with the recessedportion 3d of the left hand pin 3a as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 5 in thelocked position of the bogie locking assembly 3 as viewed in FIG. 3.FIG. 5 shows the locking handle 7 having its upper inwardly directedfree end 7d being outwardly of the bogie assembly and free of connectionwith the recessed portion 3d of the left hand pin 3a. The unlockedposition of the bogie arrangement, as shown in FIG. 5, is maintained bythe handle stop 10 on the underside of the rod 7a having its innerdownwardly sloping edge portion 100 engaging the side rail plate or stopplate 11 in the lower interior portion of the left bogie subframe rail2a, the rod 7a and its projection edge 10a being extendable through theopening 2f in the bogie subframe 2a.

In the locked position of the bogie to the underframe, the locking pin3a on the left side, as viewed in FIG. 3, is coupled with the lockhandle by releasable pin means 12 which includes the safety pin 13 heldby wire 14 to the outside of the left bogie rail 2a and at the other endis attached to the ring 15 of the safety pin 13 which is extendableconjunctively through the aperture 7fin the handle end portion 7d andthe aperture 3e of the pin 3a, see FIGS. 3-5, and 7.

FIG. 3, in illustrating the locked position of the bogie to theunderframe, shows the springs 5 and 8 in an extended condition and thelever arm 6 has pivotal connections of the pin links 4 in generallyhorizontal alignment so that the pin links 4 are also in horizontalpositions and in general horizontal alignment with one another and withthe pins 3a; whereas in FIG. 5 in the unlocked or released position ofthe bogie with respect to the underframe the springs 5 and the spring 8are both under load, the springs 5 being in compression and the spring 8being in tension whereby the pins 3a are drawn inwardly of the apertureslb of the side rails la of the trailer underframe l and the inner end ofthe left pin link 4 is above the pivot pin 60 and the inner end of theright pin link is below the pivot pin 6a. Thus, the locking pins 3a andthe locking pin links 4 form a horizontal line in the locked positionaffording a positive lock in that it would require a compressionbuckling load on the locking pin links 4 to push the locking pins 3atoward the center of the suspension subframe 2.

IT is also realized that the fully locked position of the bogie andtrailer underframe is readily known by the engagement of the lockedhandle 7 in the locking pin hole or recess 3d. The arrangement of thelocking handle 7 in the locking pin 3a affords storage of the lockinghandle 7 and eliminates vertical and horizontal movement of the handleduring over-the-road operation. Since the locking pins 3a are located atthe center of the suspension subframe or bogie assembly 2, therotational force on the suspension subframe, due to braking, is resistedby the locking pins 30 and the end bearing pads 2c. The lockingmechanism is housed completely in the center crossmember affording acompact design. The safety pin 13 which locks the handle 7 to thelocking pin 3a provides positive assurance that the locking pin will beretained in the hole of the fixed rail of the underframe under allconditions, even in the event ofa breakage of a part of the lockingmechanism.

To unlock the suspension subframe from the trailer underframe forshifting to a new position of the bogie with respect to the underframe,unlock the suspension subframe rails 2a by pulling the locking handle up(after the safety pin 13 has been removed from the handle and lockingpin) to the extreme outer position. This movement rotates the lever armassembly 6, which pulls the locking pin links 4, which pulls the lockingpins 3a inwardly, unlocking the locking pins 3a from the holes lb in thefixed rails la. Next, lock the handle 7 in the outer position byallowing the handle stop 10 to engage the side rail plate 11. Slide thesuspension subframe or bogie assembly 2 relative to the trailerunderframe l to the approximate desired position. Unlock the handle 7 bypulling outward allowing the handle stop 10 to unlock from the side railplate 11 and then push the handle toward the center of the trailerallowing the handle stop 10 to pass over the side rail plate 11. Next,shift the suspension subframe 2 relative to the trailer underframe 1allowing the two locking pins 3a to engage the holes lb in the fixedrails la and the locking handle 7 to engage the recessed portion or hole3d in the left locking pin 3a by the spring action of the locking pinsprings 5 and the locking handle spring 8. The suspension subframe isnow in the locked position and ready for operation. As a last step, thesafety pin 13 is extended through the openings in the end of the handle7 and in the outer end of the pin 3a and then the pin is snapped closedin safety pin locking fashion.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate theinvention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar asthe the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art whohave the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising:

a trailer underframe,

a bogie unit movably mounted with respect to the trailer underframe,

a locking assembly mounted on the bogie unit and selectively locking thebogie unit to the trailer underframe at selected positions of the bogieunit along the underframe,

said locking assembly including a locking pin extendable through thebogie unit and the trailer underframe from an unlocked position withinthe bogie unit and the underframe to a locked position extending throughboth the underframe and the bogie unit,

means connected to the locking pin for reciprocally moving same betweenthe locked and unlocked positions, including an operable handle forpositionably controlling the locking pin, and

said handle having a portion thereof which moves toward the locking pinas it is moved toward the locked position and into engagement with thelocking pin in the locked position as an indication that the lockedposition has been assumed.

2. The invention according to claim 1, and

said bogie unit having a center crossmember, and

said locking assembly being housed completely within the centercrossmember.

3 The invention according to claim 1, and

safety pin means for retaining said handle portion and said locking pinin engagement in the locked position.

4. The invention according to claim 1, and

said means connected to the locking pin for reciprocally moving sameincluding a lever pivotally mounted on the bogie unit and positionablycontrolled by the handle to thereby position the locking pin, and

biasing means connecting with the lever in opposition to the handle forurging the lever such that the locking pin and handle tend toward thelocked position.

5. The invention according to claim 1, and

said locking pin including means defining a handle portion receivingaperture therein for accommodating said handle portion in the lockedposition.

6. The invention according to claim 5, and

means defining a safety pin receiving aperture in said locking pin whichcommunicates with said handle portion receiving aperture,

means defining a safety pin receiving aperture in said handle portion inalignment with the safety pin receiving aperture in said locking pin inthe locked position, and

a safety pin disposed in said safety pin receiving apertures to retainthe handle portion and locking pin in place in the locked position.

7. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising:

a trailer underframe,

a bogie unit slidably mounted with respect to the trailer underframe,

a locking assembly mounted on the bogie unit and selectively locking thebogie unit to the trailer underframe at selected positions of the bogieunit along the underframe,

handle means for reciprocally moving the locking assembly between lockedand unlocked positions of the bogie unit and underframe,

said assembly including opposed locking pins extendable through thebogie unit and the trailer underframe from the unlocked position withinthe bogie unit and underframe to the locked position extending throughboth the underframe and the bogie unit,

one of the locking pins having handle receiving means: and said handlemeans including pin receiving means whereby the handle receiving meansand the pin receiving means are coupled with one another when the handlemeans is in the locked position for fixedly coupling the trailerunderframe and the bogie unit together.

8. The invention according to claim 7 and said handle receiving meansincluding an aperture in said one pin and said pin receiving meansincluding an end portion of the handle means.

9. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising:

a trailer underframe,

a bogie unit movably mounted with respect to the trailer underframe,

a locking assembly mounted on the bogie unit and selectively locking thebogie unit to the trailer underframe at selected positions of the bogieunit along the underframe,

said locking assembly including opposed locking pin means extendablethrough the opposed sides of the bogie unit and trailer underframe andincluding a pair of opposed links, each link pivotally connected to arespective locking pin means,

said locking assembly further including a lever having pivot meansmounted on the bogie unit with the links connecting with the lever onopposite sides of the pivot means,

each of said locking pin links lying in horizontal alignment with oneanother and with each of the locking pin means,

said locking means and said locking pin links forming a horizontal linein the locked position of the locking pin means affording a positivelock,

handle means connected to said lever for rotating same about said pivotmeans to thereby reciprocally move the respective locking pin meansbetween locked and unlocked positions, and

said handle means having a portion thereof which moves toward one of thelocking pin means as said one locking pin means is moved toward thelocked position and into engagement with said one locking pin means inthe locked position as an indication that the locked position has beenassumed.

10. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising:

a trailer underframe including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinallyextending rails, said rails having longitudinally spaced transverselyaligned holes,

a sliding bogie unit including a bogie subframe having a pair oflaterally spaced longitudinally extending rail means slidably mountedwith said rails,

a locking assembly mounted on said bogie unit and including a pair oftransversely extending opposing locking pin means on each side of thebogie unit and selectively engageable with one of the holes in each-ofsaid rails,

biasing means urging each of said opposed locking pin nieans into itsrespective rail hole,

handle means for transversely reciprocating each of said locking pinmeans in and out of a respective of said rail holes,

said locking assembly including a pivotally mounted lever having pivotmeans therefor and a pair of pin links pivotally connected to the leveron opposite sides of said lever pivot means and each pin link pivotallyconnecting with a respective locking pin means,

said handle means including a handle rod pivotally connected to thelever below the pivot means and the pin links and having spring meansurging the lever and locking pin means thereby to the locking position,

said bogie subframe having a stop member,

said handle rod having a bent end portion coupling with one of thelocking pin means in the locked position of the locking pin means andsaid rod including a stop engagable with the stop member on the bogiesubframe for extending the handle rod outwardly of the bogie unit inopposition to the handle spring means and the biasing means for thelocking pin means and thereby disengaging the end of the rod from itslocking pin means and causing both locking pin means to move inward forreleasing of the trailer frame with respect in the bogie subframe.

* w vw v

1. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising: a trailer underframe, a bogieunit movably mounted with respect to the trailer underframe, a lockingassembly mounted on the bogie unit and selectively locking the bogieunit to the trailer underframe at selected positions of the bogie unitalong the underframe, said locking assembly including a locking pinextendable through the bogie unit and the trailer underframe from anunlocked position within the bogie unit and the underframe to a lockedposition extending through both the underframe and the bogie unit, meansconnected to the locking pin for reciprocally moving same between thelocked and unlocked positions, including an operable handle forpositionably controlling the locking pin, and said handle having aportion thereof which moves toward the locking pin as it is moved towardthe locked position and into engagement with the locking pin in thelocked position as an indication that the locked position has beenassumed.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, and said bogie unithaving a center crossmember, and said locking assembly being housedcompletely within the center crossmember.
 3. The invention according toclaim 1, and safety pin means for retaining said handle portion and saidlocking pin in engagement in the locked position.
 4. The inventionaccording to claim 1, and said means connected to the locking pin forreciprocally moving same including a lever pivotally mounted on thebogie unit and positionably controlled by the handle to thereby positionthe locking pin, and biasing means connecting with the lever inopposition to the handle for urging the lever such that the locking pinand handle tend toward the locked position.
 5. The invention accordingto claim 1, and said locking pin includIng means defining a handleportion receiving aperture therein for accommodating said handle portionin the locked position.
 6. The invention according to claim 5, and meansdefining a safety pin receiving aperture in said locking pin whichcommunicates with said handle portion receiving aperture, means defininga safety pin receiving aperture in said handle portion in alignment withthe safety pin receiving aperture in said locking pin in the lockedposition, and a safety pin disposed in said safety pin receivingapertures to retain the handle portion and locking pin in place in thelocked position.
 7. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising: a trailerunderframe, a bogie unit slidably mounted with respect to the trailerunderframe, a locking assembly mounted on the bogie unit and selectivelylocking the bogie unit to the trailer underframe at selected positionsof the bogie unit along the underframe, handle means for reciprocallymoving the locking assembly between locked and unlocked positions of thebogie unit and underframe, said assembly including opposed locking pinsextendable through the bogie unit and the trailer underframe from theunlocked position within the bogie unit and underframe to the lockedposition extending through both the underframe and the bogie unit, oneof the locking pins having handle receiving means and said handle meansincluding pin receiving means whereby the handle receiving means and thepin receiving means are coupled with one another when the handle meansis in the locked position for fixedly coupling the trailer underframeand the bogie unit together.
 8. The invention according to claim 7 andsaid handle receiving means including an aperture in said one pin andsaid pin receiving means including an end portion of the handle means.9. A roadway vehicle apparatus comprising: a trailer underframe, a bogieunit movably mounted with respect to the trailer underframe, a lockingassembly mounted on the bogie unit and selectively locking the bogieunit to the trailer underframe at selected positions of the bogie unitalong the underframe, said locking assembly including opposed lockingpin means extendable through the opposed sides of the bogie unit andtrailer underframe and including a pair of opposed links, each linkpivotally connected to a respective locking pin means, said lockingassembly further including a lever having pivot means mounted on thebogie unit with the links connecting with the lever on opposite sides ofthe pivot means, each of said locking pin links lying in horizontalalignment with one another and with each of the locking pin means, saidlocking means and said locking pin links forming a horizontal line inthe locked position of the locking pin means affording a positive lock,handle means connected to said lever for rotating same about said pivotmeans to thereby reciprocally move the respective locking pin meansbetween locked and unlocked positions, and said handle means having aportion thereof which moves toward one of the locking pin means as saidone locking pin means is moved toward the locked position and intoengagement with said one locking pin means in the locked position as anindication that the locked position has been assumed.
 10. A roadwayvehicle apparatus comprising: a trailer underframe including a pair oflaterally spaced longitudinally extending rails, said rails havinglongitudinally spaced transversely aligned holes, a sliding bogie unitincluding a bogie subframe having a pair of laterally spacedlongitudinally extending rail means slidably mounted with said rails, alocking assembly mounted on said bogie unit and including a pair oftransversely extending opposing locking pin means on each side of thebogie unit and selectively engageable with one of the holes in each ofsaid rails, biasing means urging each of said opposed locking pin meansinto its respective rail hole, handle means for transverselyreciprocating each of said locking pin means in and out of a respectiveof said rail holes, said locking assembly including a pivotally mountedlever having pivot means therefor and a pair of pin links pivotallyconnected to the lever on opposite sides of said lever pivot means andeach pin link pivotally connecting with a respective locking pin means,said handle means including a handle rod pivotally connected to thelever below the pivot means and the pin links and having spring meansurging the lever and locking pin means thereby to the locking position,said bogie subframe having a stop member, said handle rod having a bentend portion coupling with one of the locking pin means in the lockedposition of the locking pin means and said rod including a stopengagable with the stop member on the bogie subframe for extending thehandle rod outwardly of the bogie unit in opposition to the handlespring means and the biasing means for the locking pin means and therebydisengaging the end of the rod from its locking pin means and causingboth locking pin means to move inward for releasing of the trailer framewith respect in the bogie subframe.